Mad & J

I've never been a huge Tim Hortons fan, but ketchup chips and all-dressed Ruffles, oh man!

I've only been here for about 3 days, so I'm sure I'll get some homesickness eventually. I've spent a lot of time here before (nearly a year, broken up in various visits) and know most of my fiancee's friends, but I'm sure it will be different this time because it's permanent. I think it's ok to feel homesick once in a while and to vent about the things you miss, especially on VJ! I'm sure things will sort themselves out soon enough, right now things are stressful because all of these changes are coming at once!

Have you thought about enrolling in prenatal classes, or even prenatal yoga, prenatal water aerobics, things like that? I would think it would be a good place to connect with other moms-to-be in your area and make new friends who are close to your age. Just a thought!

Fingers crossed for you!! I have read of a few people who've had second interviews, and many were asked for updated documents, like police check or even medical! Did they mention you'd have to bring those? I really hope it will be the light at the end of a very long immigration tunnel for you guys.

Congrats! Glad it went well! When are you planning to cross the border?

Also, do we both have to show proof of income?

Only the income of the petitioner matters (so the income of the USC citizen). The foreign fiancee is never asked about their income at any point in the process. Some embassies will consider the assests of the beneficiary, but only if the income of the petitioner is not sufficient to meet the minimum requirements. I don't know if that will apply to your embassy though.

***** splitting from thread by other member in another forum. Please always post your own questions about your own case in your own thread. ****

Can you explain what you mean with "used my income" if you mean, say, a minor child not living with you but yours then yes, you need to add them. If you mean a room mate that is not a dependant of yours on taxes then no.

I read his question differently: He's been the joint sponsor for someone else's affidavit of support in the past, so his current petition would not be the first time he's filled out a I-134 for an immigrant. Can you clarify, OP? If that's the case, then you wouldn't list them in your household unless they live with you, but would list them at question 9 ("I have previously submitted affidavit(s) of support for the following person(s). If none, state "None".)

I'd say Saylin's post still applies, except you don't have to worry about lining up once you get upstairs because you are given a number as soon as you get in the building. The layout upstairs is no longer as her drawing shows, but you don't have to line up and you will be directed where to sit. This post shows the updated layout on the 19th floor: http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/359761-montreal-consulate-picturesmaps/?p=5817669

I wrote a review of my interview experience in mid-december, it's at the end of my timeline here: http://www.visajourney.com/timeline/profile.php?id=203168

Which POE are you using? went through the Port Huron POE and it was really good. Easy and quick processing with only a few simple questions and they didn't even check our U-Haul. You just let them know at the booth that you're immigrating on a fiance visa and they'll tell you to pull off and go inside.

A very easy drive, but a long one for sure. Congratulations on your visa!

Thanks!

I'm in New Brunswick, so we'll be crossing at Houlton, Maine. It's a smaller POE but hopefully it will go as smoothly as it did for you! I'm thinking of calling ahead to ask if there are any forms I can fill out ahead of time, which will also serve to give them a heads up in case they haven't processed a K1 in a long time...

My passport (and mysterious forbidden enveloppe) was just delivered to my office! Definitely worth paying 20 bucks to have it brought to my door. It took 8 working days from my interview, which isn't bad considering the holidays.

My fiancee will fly up here two weeks from now, on January 13th, and we will make the long drive down to Florida together in my car, with my dog on board. POE planned for the 15th!

Besides wedding pics where's your proof of co-mingling your lives?

1. joint banking account
2. both your names on lease
3. Your name change
4. Credit cards
5. Insurance (life, car, health)

I was under the impression that this wasn't necessary or expected at AOS stage? After all, many K1s arrive, get married, and file for AOS in a very short time span, which isn't enough time to co-mingle finances. Of course you would provide all of these when you remove conditions on your permanent residency.

Has anyone else with a CR1 been updated? I was hoping that because it is the US consulate that they would be open today and issue my visa, still no update

I'm pretty sure they are closed today, sorry. http://canada.usembassy.gov/about-us/holidays.html The consulate is closed on both US and Canadian holidays... must be nice to work there! Because Boxing Day was on a Saturday, it's observed today.

This notice is also on the US Embassy website. It's a fair bet that if the Embassy is closed, the Consulates are as well. " The U.S. Embassy in Ottawa will close for the holiday beginning at 1 p.m. on Thursday, December 24th and re-open on Tuesday, December 29th at 8:30 a.m."

Thanks for the info, I appreciate it! I'll have to hope that the background check will be quick if it comes to it.

My specialization is ecology & conservation, I don't know how that could worry anyone! But if I interpret their question literally then I have no choice but to amswer "yes". At least then I can't be accused of trying to hide anything... I will definitely bring a copy of my resume & publication list to the interview, thanks for the tip!

I thought I'd update this thread for anyone else who comes across this issue in the future.

I answered yes to the question about specialized training. In the field where it said to explain, I gave a brief (2-3 lines) description of my education and research topics. At the interview I came prepared with my CV and publication list, but the CO didn't bring it up and so I never handed it over. I was approved after a short & easy interview and my visa was issued about a week later, so I can only assume that answering 'Yes' to that question doesn't necessarily mean you will get more scrutiny.

Mad & J, I already received both tracking numbers, have you? I am assuming tuesday or wednesday we will have it in our hands as well!!!

Friend2ya, thank you! and i understand how you feel. It is bittersweet watching everyone else get issued before yourself. Hang in there, the New Year will bring good news!!

and hopefully to everyone else as well!! today isn't over yet either, thinking of you all!

I have! The first one was sent by the Consulate and doesn't seem to work, but an hour later I got the correct one from Canada Post. My expected delivery date is December 31st, but I live in a rural area in NB and requested a home delivery so yours may be faster. Can't wait to have it in hand so I can make concrete plans for POE!

My visa was issued today! Woohoo! Best Christmas present by far! Hopefully the big move will occur by mid-January and we will finally be together for good.

We will have to travel to the next county over to get married since we want a simple courthouse wedding and Duval county has stopped offering wedding ceremonies altogether after same-sex marriage was legalized in FL last January.

Happy holidays and Merry Christmas to all those who celebrate it!

This thread has been fairly quiet lately! How's everyone? To those (or their fiances) who have arrived to the US, how's the move and adjustement going?

I had my interview last week and my visa was finally issued this morning! I'm hoping to have it in hand next week. As soon as I have it in hand we will book my fiancee's plane ticket: she will fly here and then we will drive back down together in my car (with my dog!) for the long 3-day drive to Florida. We plan on moving in early to mid-January. I've been lucky in escaping TSC relatively quickly but things have been slow on the consulate side of things. Can't wait to finally immigrate and move on to the next steps!

Merry Christmas to all those who celebrate it! I hope those of you who are still waiting will get some good news very soon, especially jess100 who has been waiting forever. I'm rooting for you guys, it's truly unfair that you have had to wait this long!

Issued as well this morning!!!! Congratulation to you too! Best Christmas present ever.

Great news! Congratulations!! Monday is a Holiday, right? So I suppose we might expect delivery on Tuesday or Wednesday? Fingers crossed...

I hope everyone gets good news very soon, especially Idy Fdez and PriyaB who have been waiting so long!

ISSUED!

Congrats to all of those who also had good news recently! Hoping a few more of us will get theirs Issued before the end of the day!

ISSUED

Hahah, I hurriedly checked my case status after seeing this, just in case mine had been issued too. Not yet!

Anyway, CONGRATS! I'll be curious to find out how quickly you will have it in hand what with Canada Post being super busy around the holidays.

My status changed to Nonimmigrant AP this morning. Judging from what I've read on this thread this is usually a good sign? Trying not to get my hopes up...

Almost...he didn't like my husband's employment letter mentioning his salary in CAD, so asked for a joint sponsor or USD in a US bank account.

That was totally out of left field for me, that was the least of my worries since he's keeping his job and transferring back to US division. But I guess the letter wasn't explicit about that.

If I'd left my passport it wouldn't have delayed me if we could send the additional AOS right away, but I'm hinky enough about travelling without it to just wait.

I'm just deflated but that's what you get for being optimistic. Anyway that's the only thing and everything else is good. I was worried about domicile!

Hope you guys get good news soon

Sorry to hear about the hiccup, hopefully it will be a quick fix for you guys!

And thanks for the heads up about no visas printed until the 29th... I wonder if it's due a problem with their system or a planned break for the holidays?? At my interview on Wednesday he didn't say anything about that, just said my visa would be printed very soon, probably within a couple of days.

Today my case changed from 'Immigrant Ready' to 'Nonimmigrant Ready' so I was hoping that was a good sign I'd get 'Issued' very soon... We'll see! At least if I don't hear anything before the 29th I'll have no cause to worry...

Somewhere I read that you have to bring all of your old passports with you to the interview.

I don't remember where I read this, and I don't know if it applies for IR-1.

If anyone can confirm whether this is needed or not for Montreal IR-1 interview, it would be great.

I have all of my expired passports except one, and I can't for the life of me think where it might be...also I'm planning to fly with carry-on only and my paper will take a great part of my bag-space, so if I don't need to carry a stack of old passports with me it would be helpful.

Thanks (

I had my inteview yesterday (approved!) and can confirm I was not asked for old passports. I wrote a review of my experience in case it helps anyone, but in short it was very positive http://www.visajourney.com/reviews/index.php?cnty=Canada&cty=&dfilter=5

Somewhere I read that you have to bring all of your old passports with you to the interview.

I don't remember where I read this, and I don't know if it applies for IR-1.

If anyone can confirm whether this is needed or not for Montreal IR-1 interview, it would be great.

I have all of my expired passports except one, and I can't for the life of me think where it might be...also I'm planning to fly with carry-on only and my paper will take a great part of my bag-space, so if I don't need to carry a stack of old passports with me it would be helpful.

Thanks (

Hi!

I read the same thing and sorta panicked, but it seems that is a generic message from the interview scheduling website and that Montreal doesn't ask for old passports. I certainly hope that is the case since I only have one on hand (the most recent expired one). I've never heard of anyone having to provide them in consulate reviews. I have my interview next Wednesday, I'll try to remember to report on that!

Hi everyone,

I'm still in Canada and I plan on moving to the US in early or mid-January if there are no delays in getting my visa (interview on December 16th). I'll be working until December 31st.

What should my employer put down as "Reason for issuing this ROE"? Does it matter what they put down and will it impact my claim if they write down "A: End of Contract"? I was hired on a fixed-term contract, but this could have been extended if I'd stayed in Canada.

Thanks!

My fiancé had his interview at the embassy in London today and we were approved! We are both so relieved. I know he's happy to have the interview out of the way, though he said they were very nice and hardly even asked him any questions. When he mentioned our daughter, born in September, the lady who was interviewing him seemed surprised and said, "I guess your relationship is real, then!" =D

Big congrats! Glad to hear it went well.

My interview is in 8 days and I'm very eager to get it out of the way too. Such a long wait!

FYI, today I was able to schedule a home delivery of my visa. I paid the fee of 20$ CAD for home delivery on the same site as the one where you schedule and pay for the interview. Minutes later I received an updated Interview Confirmation page via email, and under "Courrier Selection details" it now shows the address I specified. I also received a receipt of the payment.

Hopefully it works out! This way I will get my documents delivered to me at work rather than have to take another day off just to drive to the nearest CPC or Loomis location.

Finally! My case was approved! I filed January 20th!thank you all for your support and this site really helped throughout this process.I can't believe the long part is over!

Congrats! About time!!